I'm Emma Kate. I'm a decorative painter, DIY enthusiast and a serial decorator. I live in a picturesque market town in Hertfordshire, England. I have a passion for frugal living, upcycling vintage furniture, home decor, DIY and secondhand shopping.

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Sunday, 11 November 2012

The finished painted Mule chest

The house stinks of furniture wax. My husband wants to leave me for another woman. Any woman will do, so long as she doesn't keep altering EVERY piece of furniture that comes into the house.
But apart from that, I'm quite pleased with how it's worked out.

Here's the before:

Very useful but very orange.
Here's the after:

I think it's finished. I wanted to add a bit of folk art inspired pattern on the front but keep it very neutral and subtle...

Luckily I have every painted furniture book known to man, so I was able to trace this design onto the chest. And luckily, folk art can be a bit rubbish! Then I clear waxed and dark waxed. I use Liberon Beeswax with turpentine (clear and antique pine on a pale piece like this)

The pic above is after the dark wax. It just adds some age and dirtiness which I like the look of.

with clear wax (a bit too clean and new looking)

With dark wax, the difference is subtle but it adds more character

And here's the flooring sample that's my favourite so far:

Hopefully it will add Scandinavian chic. Vanilla oak. I've got paint on it! (start as you mean to go on)

I've been on the lookout for a large piece of fabric or curtain to use for a door curtain to make the house warmer and struck gold at this mornings boot sale with these:

Huge unopened cream cotton lined curtains! Five quid! Wahey! I can always embellish them if it's looking a bit too cream and white in the hallway. I'm really pleased. Don't you love it when a room starts coming together?

How talented are you Emma Kate!! That chest look amazing, I didn't even recognise it at first, it looks completly different and I am mad on folk art, but I love the way you have kept it subtle xx if that is what you can acheive in your hall way, I can only imagine the rest of the house. And I dont think it is your Man who should look for a new Woman who doesnt change every piece of furniture...it should be you looking for a new Man who appreciates the talent xxx LOL